Sudden cardiac arrest not always so sudden

Updated:Nov 19,2013

Sudden cardiac arrest not always so sudden

In a study presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2013, more than half of 567 men who experienced cardiac arrest had prior symptoms. Most of the symptoms — including chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, faintness or palpitations — occurred four weeks to one hour before their hearts suddenly stopped.

In the United States, only 9.5 percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive.

People who immediately get CPR and a defibrillator to shock the heart back to a normal rhythm have a better chance of survival.

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